Career and Education Opportunities for Teaching Assistants in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has a population of 5,654,774, which has grown by 5.43% over the past 10 years. Nicknamed the "Badger State," its capital is Madison, though its largest city is Milwaukee.

Currently, 27,880 people work as teaching assistants in Wisconsin. This is expected to grow 3% to about 28,680 people by 2016. This is not quite as good as the national trend for teaching assistants, which sees this job pool growing by about 10.3% over the next eight years. Teaching assistants generally perform duties that are instructional in nature or deliver direct services to students or parents.

The average wage in the general category of Specialized Education jobs is $21 per hour or $36,703 per year in Wisconsin, and an average of $22 per hour or $38,002 per year nationwide. Earnings for teaching assistants are not quite as good as earnings in the general category of Specialized Education in Wisconsin and not quite as good as general Specialized Education category earnings nationally. Teaching assistants work in a variety of jobs, including: learning support aide, at risk paraprofessional, and computer assistant.

In 2008, there were a total of 3,619,782 jobs in Wisconsin. The average annual income was $37,770 in 2008, up from $36,990 in 2007. The unemployment rate in Wisconsin was 8.5% in 2009, which has grown by 3.7% since the previous year. Roughly 22.4% of Wisconsin residents have college degrees, which is lower than the national average.

The top industries in Wisconsin include dairy product manufacturing, cheese manufacturing, and converted paper product manufacturing. Notable tourist attractions include the A Hotcakes Gallery, the Charles Allis Art Museum, and the America's Black Holocaust Museum Inc.

CITIES WITH Teaching Assistant OPPORTUNITIES IN Wisconsin

JOB DESCRIPTION: Teaching Assistant

Teaching Assistant video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, teaching assistants perform duties that are instructional in nature or deliver direct services to students or parents. They also serve in a position for which a teacher or another professional has ultimate responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.

Every day, teaching assistants are expected to be able to listen to and understand others in meetings. They need to articulate ideas and problems. It is also important that they speak clearly.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Wisconsin include:

Adult Education Teacher. Teach or instruct out-of-school youths and adults in remedial education classes, preparatory classes for the General Educational Development test, literacy, or English as a Second Language. Teaching may or may not take place in a traditional educational institution.

Elementary School Teacher. Teach pupils in public or private schools at the elementary level basic academic, social, and other formative skills.

Farm Management Adviser. Advise, instruct, and assist individuals and families engaged in agriculture, agricultural-related processes, or home economics activities. Demonstrate procedures and apply research findings to solve problems; instruct and train in product development, sales, and the utilization of machinery and equipment to promote general welfare. Includes county agricultural agents, feed and farm management advisers, home economists, and extension service advisors.

Graduate Research Assistant. Assist department chairperson, faculty members, or other professional staff members in college or university by performing teaching or teaching-related duties, such as teaching lower level courses, developing teaching materials, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers. Graduate assistants must be enrolled in a graduate school program. Graduate assistants who primarily perform non-teaching duties, such as laboratory research, should be reported in the occupational category related to the work performed.

High School Teacher. Instruct students in secondary public or private schools in one or more subjects at the secondary level, such as English, mathematics, or social studies. May be designated according to subject matter specialty, such as typing instructors, commercial teachers, or English teachers.

Kindergarten Teacher. Teach elemental natural and social science, personal hygiene, and literature to children from 4 to 6 years old. Promote physical, mental, and social development. May be required to hold State certification.

Middle School Teacher. Teach students in public or private schools in one or more subjects at the middle, intermediate, or junior high level, which falls between elementary and senior high school as defined by applicable State laws and regulations.

Self-Enrichment Education Teacher. Teach or instruct courses other than those that normally lead to an occupational objective or degree. Courses may include self-improvement, nonvocational, and nonacademic subjects. Teaching may or may not take place in a traditional educational institution.

Vocational Instructor. Teach or instruct vocational or occupational subjects at the postsecondary level (but at less than the baccalaureate) to students who have graduated or left high school. Includes correspondence school instructors; industrial, commercial and government training instructors; and adult education teachers and instructors who prepare persons to operate industrial machinery and equipment and transportation and communications equipment. Teaching may take place in public or private schools whose primary business is education or in a school associated with an organization whose primary business is other than education.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Wisconsin

Wisconsin photo by KKNiteOwl

Wisconsin has a population of 5,654,774, which has grown by 5.43% in the last 10 years. Nicknamed the "Badger State," its capital is Madison, though its biggest city is Milwaukee. In 2008, there were a total of 3,619,782 jobs in Wisconsin. The average annual income was $37,770 in 2008, up from $36,990 the previous year. The unemployment rate in Wisconsin was 8.5% in 2009, which has grown by 3.7% since the previous year. Roughly 22.4% of Wisconsin residents have college degrees, which is lower than the national average.